She said girls were often lured into damaging relationships with their abusers, who would use threats, violence and intimidation to exert their power.

She said: “We should be aware that this very high level of national media attention is artificially pushing up reporting levels. But if increased reporting doesn’t lead to better prevention, detection and prosecution then the bravery of those who have come forward will have been for nothing.”

Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith added: “We need a pervasive campaign which gets across to all children the message... ‘it’s ok to tell someone’.”